Departure
by RelapseAndEscape
Summary: Finn walks in Glee to see Rachel, Santana and Will berating Puck for not taking Glee seriously. It takes Finn all of the three seconds to look at Puck's face and realise that his Nana died. Oneshot. Puck!angst. Pinn bromance.


Finn's mouth is twitching.

He's just gotten back from his Doctor's appointment where Burt's driven him and he's now just standing there numbly to hear those words practically digging a sharp turn to his own skin.

"Nationals is _nearing_ and if we don't win, it's because of _you_." Rachel goes on, eyes set on Puck's face. "Everyone else is pulling their weight."

"Come on shape up, pretty boy. We need your head in the game."

Will nods at Santana's statement and then turns to face Puck. "Puck, you haven't participated at all in the rehearsal at all. At your point in the song, you didn't even care enough to _pretend_ to be into it. You were completely out of it by the fifth verse."

Finn's head is full of lead.

"And don't get me started on how bad you were at the high note," Rachel berates.

"Stop—"

Finn is cut by Santana. "You've been actually off it for a while. What, we're too good enough for you to even care—?"

"What. The. _Fuck_?" this time Finn's rage causes the Gleeks to look at him. Mr Schue's curling his lip.

"Finn—"

"I know what I heard, Mr Schue," Finn spits out coldly as he steps towards Puck. If he looks at him any longer, he'll break down too. Finn turns to look at Mr Schue and then bites his lower lip. "He's hurt."

"Frankenteen, I appreciate you standing up for your man-toy but if your boy doesn't just care enough to—"

Finn shoves Santana away which shocks even her. "Don't you _dare_ say that," he defends his best friend. "Okay? Puck's going through a really tough time right now and instead of pushing him around, you're supposed to cut him some slack!"

"For what?" Rachel shrieks. "Finn, I'm starting to think that maybe you're too used to covering up his mistakes that you—"

"No." Finn snaps. "No. He cares."

"Frankenteen, you don't need to—"Puck is cut off by Finn again.

"No, Puck, I _do_. They _can't_ talk to you like that, man. It's not cool." Finn says, in full support of his best friend. "They always talk to you like you're nothing and I'm _sick_ of it, man. This is the fucking last straw. I can't take it anymore. _You're my best friend_. You can't be treated like shit anymore."

Puck opens his mouth to speak and Rachel finally snaps at her boyfriend. "And how can you tell that there is something even remotely even bothering him? He looks fine to me."

"You just need to take a good look at him," Finn begins.

"Dude, what are you—"Puck is cut off by Finn speaking.

"You sometimes bite your cheek when you're worried. You have this really dull look in your eyes and I don't know if that's possible, but you do and it scares me too." Finn explains. "Your Nona's been sick a lot so I just figured that she…"

Puck doesn't even look at Finn right now and that's his cue to realise that his assumption's right.

"Figured what?" Rachel suddenly blazes.

"His Nona's dead," Finn suddenly says, in a voice that is barely a whisper. He doesn't miss Puck shutting his eyes as if trying not to cry. He knows what to do now. "She was a real nice woman, you know? She used to like…feed me like everything when I used to come over…"

"You bitch ate everything in the pantry," Puck says, voice thick of pain as tears collect in his eyes.

"She _offered_!"

"You're a piece of work, you know that?" Puck sniffs this time and bites his lip.

"Can…can I hug you?" Finn suddenly stammers.

"What? No!" Puck suddenly exclaims, but then Finn stares at him and opens his arms out wide, knowing it's what he needs even if he doesn't say it. Puck just grabs onto Finn for a moment and then presses his head against his friend's chest as he cries. "Fuck you, Hudson," Puck says coarsely.

The flame in Rachel's eyes dies down into a sympathetic brown colour. Santana uncrosses her arms. Mr Schue's eyes are full of guilt.

"Puck…" Mr Schue slowly approaches him putting a hand on his shoulder.

"I fucking _care_! What the fucking else would I show up even though I shouldn't? _Huh_?"

Mr Schue feels the sting of those words as Puck's sobs quieten down. Finn doesn't let go, as he looks down. "No offence, Mr Schue, except I mean all the offence I can," Finn suddenly begins. "I'm gonna take Puck home, okay? You know why? Because I don't let Nationals or Sectionals or whatever get in the way of how much I _care_ about Puck. Come on, dude."

Finn slings an arm over Puck's shoulder and helps him away.

By the time that next day's rolled around, Rachel stops by Puck at his locker, with huge amounts of _I'm Sorry_ cookies. Puck looks like he's gonna puke. He shoves her and doesn't even look at her. Finn stares at Rachel. "His Nona used to bake the best," Finn suddenly says and then leaves to go after him.

Rachel's stomach drops. She actually doesn't _know_ anything about Puck's grandmother, even though she's known Puck for two years. She hasn't even met the woman. That just makes her realise how little she knows about the boy with the Mohawk and it makes her feel frustrated that she can't make this right.

At Glee, Mr Schue finally asks Puck if he wants to sit it out. Puck mumbles something that is close to, "oh, I thought I didn't give a fuck…" which is met with a near wince at Mr Schue's part as the memory of yesterday fills his head over again. Finn tries to make it better by trying not to leave Puck alone. He doesn't trust the boy alone during these times.

"Why do you follow me home?" Puck says, spreading himself on the couch.

"Dude, isn't that a Nickelback song?" Finn half-smiles.

"Yeah, whatever." Puck then pauses, for a minute.

Finn sits down beside him, and helps himself to a sandwich from that he takes from a brown bag but then snaps it in two halves and gives the rest to Puck. "Here. It's like…I didn't order the one with ham in it this time."

"Don't get me started on _that_."

Finn laughs and watches Puck slowly eat. His eyes are staring at nothing, as something rakes in his mind. "Still think she's there sometimes," Puck says.

"Yeah. It's weird not seeing her," Finn agrees. "She's like always there. It's like…hard not to see that she isn't there anymore."

Puck swallows and it hurts. "Hey, Finnessa?"

"Yeah?"

Puck looks at Finn's face. Their eyes lock in one moment, and Puck has a soft smile on his face. "Thanks."

"You turning soft on me, man?" Finn teases.

"Yeah, right. I can still beat your ass in COD."


End file.
